The maker of a drone that fires pepper spray bullets says it has received its first order for the machine.

South Africa-based Desert Wolf told the BBC it had secured the sale of 25 units to a mining company after showing off the tech at a trade show in London.

It is marketing the device as a "riot control copter" that can tackle crowds "without endangering the lives of security staff".

This is going to get interesting

As my grandfather said about stuff like this..." Nothing a 303 bullet wouldn't fix". The only confrontation between a drone and a manned fighter plane saw the drone come off a very poor second. These things are sitting ducks in the sights of a determined opponent.

Two things in their favor. Silent and size. A buddy has one with a camera. He flew it so you could barely see it in the distance, and if you took your eyes off, you did lose it. He had the GPS system in it. He shut the trans. off and put it on the ground. About 5 mins. later it showed up overhead at about a 100 ft. and it was silent. It stopped overhead and gradually lowered itself and landed at the point of takeoff. Very impressive.
As you say Nigel, both good and bad will come of it.
Gord.